***
As they strode through the woods on foot, Lannon's heart raced as he led them onward. He was overflowing with the hope that he would be made a Squire, that he would at last be free of his miserable existence in this remote valley. He felt there had to be some way he could convince the Knights he was worth choosing (even if he actually wasn't). Lost in his ponderings and anxieties, Lannon wandered past the Quiet Spot in the misty woods for a fair distance before realizing where he was. But the Knights knew nothing of this forest, and so Lannon simply acted as if he knew exactly where he was going, circling back until they reached the stream surrounded by the ring of mossy boulders.
Taris Warhawk kept his distance from the others, leaning against an oak by the water. He'd almost faded into the mist, with only a vague outline of his cloak visible next to the huge, knotted tree trunk. Furlus stood next to Cordus, his arms folded across his barrel chest, frowning as he gazed at the ground.
Cordus glanced about and breathed deeply, taking in the scent of the moss and twisted oaks. "This spot feels like some areas of Knightwood, a forest which surrounds my kingdom, and the trees here are of equal stature."
Lannon nodded. His apprehension was strong, but he tried to look to the positive side of things. Even if he didn't end up a Squire, why not just enjoy spending time with these great Knights while the time still existed?
"Tell me a few things about yourself, lad," said Cordus.
Lannon gulped, struggling to think of anything even slightly interesting about his life. But there was nothing, and so finally he just told the truth. "I mostly just live here in the valley," he stammered.
"Have you ever had any strange experiences?" Cordus asked. "Dreams getting confused with reality? Or knowing things you should not be able to know? Strive to remember anything out of the ordinary."
Lannon tried, but could only remember a few odd and senseless dreams. He related them to Cordus.
"Nothing exceptional there," muttered Furlus.
Taris pulled moss off some of the boulders and knelt to study the exposed rock. "These stones were placed here deliberately," he called out. "Many have fallen, but once they formed a precise and partial circle. Quite unusual."
"Try harder, Lannon," Cordus said, apparently ignoring Taris. "There is no need to hurry. Just think carefully back over the years."
For a moment, Lannon considered making something up. It wouldn't be hard to invent one or two incidents to gain the Lord Knight's interest, provided they weren't too fantastic in nature. Lannon felt he was smart enough to make himself sound believable. Yet before he put his imagination to work, he struggled briefly with his conscience and his fears over lying to the leader of what was widely considered to be a sacred kingdom. Finally he realized his desire to escape this valley and become a Knight was too strong. He would lie if he had to and deal with the consequences later.
But Lannon never got the chance.
How long have you lived here?" asked Cordus.
"In Knights Valley?" said Lannon. "All my life."
"What did you call this place?" said Cordus, raising his eyebrows.
"Knights Valley," said Lannon. "I found the name on a rock."
"Show me this rock," said Cordus.
Taris Warhawk seemed to take sudden interest in the conversation. He moved over by them, a silent shadow in the mist.
"It's right over here," said Lannon. He brushed some twigs and leaves off a boulder. I found the name under some moss."
The three Knights stared at the engraving with their brows knitted in confusion. They glanced at each other and then at Lannon.
"It's just three runes," said Furlus. "This is not Olrog, Birlote, or Norack writing. Are you trying to trick us, boy?"
"I don't think he is attempting deception," said Taris. "I believe these runes are engraved in the Sacred Text. This must have been a meeting place of the Dark Watchmen. The circle of boulders reveals that. Only someone with the Eye of Divinity could read this. Lannon must have the gift."
"Then Lannon is the one we've sought," Cordus said, grinning. "Our journey here has paid off." Then, glancing at Lannon, he became stern again. "Unless he is lying to us."
"It says Knights Valley," said Lannon, baffled.
"The Sacred Text cannot be read by anyone but a Dark Watchman," said Taris, "which is one who possesses the Eye of Divinity. To all others it is meaningless--a code that cannot be solved. I doubt the boy is lying to us, Cordus. It seems he would lack the knowledge to invent such a scheme."
"But his Knightly Essence is weak," Cordus said, turning to the sorcerer. "This is very strange. What do you make of it?"
Taris shook his head. "I don't know yet."
"Maybe when strong enough," said Furlus, "the Essence is hidden. One cannot judge a man's strengths by appearance alone. Often the greatest power is also the most deeply concealed. By looking at me, you'd swear I could crush any man in Silverland with my bare hands. Yet once I was hurled to the ground by an old Knight who knew how to move his body so that my own weight was turned against me. So you see that it is possible to keep amazing powers concealed."
"Regardless," said Cordus, "we must surely make him a Squire. There can be no doubt."
"Yes," said Taris. "Lannon Sunshield shall become a Squire."
Lannon stared in disbelief. "Me? A Squire?"
"I shall give you a brief explanation, Lannon," said Cordus, "and it will have to do. We came here in search of one who possesses the Eye of Divinity, which is a rare magical ability. The Divine Essence--our god and the true King of Dremlock who dwells beneath our kingdom--pointed the way to this valley, and we found you. Because you have use of the Eye, as your ability to read the Sacred Text proves, you will indeed be made a Squire, and you shall learn to master your power so that it may serve Dremlock. That is all you need know for now."
"The door is open, Lannon," said Furlus, "and someday, perhaps, a new Book shall be crafted in the Deep Forge bearing your name in silver."
"The bearer of the Sunshield Book, " said Taris, "may offer hope to all of Silverland. At last the tables may have turned in our favor!"
Cordus frowned. "Do not speak of such things, Taris, until the time is right. And as for you, Lannon Sunshield--are you ready for what lies ahead?"
"I feel ready," said Lannon, which was not stretching the truth, but mutilating it. Lannon couldn't fathom what he'd done to deserve this, and he had no idea what to expect in the days ahead (or just as importantly, what the Knights would expect of him). It was a mystery that would only be solved in its own time.
"Well, you are not ready," said Cordus. "So don't go talking nonsense. I can see that it's going to take a lot of work to mold you into a Knight. There is a difficult road ahead of you. Do you have any idea what it means to be a Divine Knight?"
"I know a little bit," said Lannon, "mainly from a book I have. I know it's your duty to defend Silverland against the Goblins, mostly."
"Then you know that is it not always fun or pleasant," said Cordus. "Many die fighting for Dremlock, and those who survive must always work hard and have little time for rest. Squires have to work just as hard as Knights. And simply because the Divine Essence pointed you out to us, and you appear to possess the Eye of Divinity, does not mean you bear any special protection other than that granted by your own abilities. Death could take you without warning. There are many grim paths that can be walked, leading to many terrible ends. Don't ever allow yourself to feel arrogant or secure."
"I understand," said Lannon, lowering his gaze.
Cordus patted him on the shoulder. "I just want you to keep a clear head about things, so you're better prepared for your new life."
"Then it's time to move on to Knights Welcome," Furlus said eagerly. "After all, there are other prospects that should be tested, and truthfully, the Lord Knight and his Tower Masters should not be roaming around without a company of guards. If the High Council discovered this, it would mean trouble for us."
"We no longer need to go to Knights Welcome," said Cordus. "We've found what we came for. Now we must hurry back to Dremlock. I'm not concerned about us traveling alone. We can fend for ourselves."
"Yet it is very risky," said Furlus. "If we were ambushed and killed, Dremlock would be empty of its three most prominent leaders."
"We're not kings," said Cordus, grimacing. "We're Knights. We can look after ourselves. And right now, we need to ride swiftly to Dremlock, and so we shall!"
"But what about a good meal?" said Furlus. "We should at least linger on a bit and have dinner with the boy and his folks. What harm could come of that, Cordus? We would lose an hour of travel at the most."
"So the real issue arises," said Taris, grinning. "Furlus' fat belly."
"We have plenty of food in our packs," said Cordus. "We can eat when we make camp later. As soon as Lannon says his goodbyes, we shall leave immediately for Dremlock. I don't want to stay in this valley any longer than we have to, for there is still much daylight left for traveling." Cordus whispered something in Furlus' ear. The Grey Dwarf nodded, but he still did not look happy.